Brisket Gift - Advice Needed

[fuzzydaddy]

Below are photos of a brisket that I was gifted today. It's from a local meat store. This will be my first brisket. Here are my questions and appreciate any additional advice or observations.

Label does not have meat grade and says "Center Cut". $7.99 lb. 6.66 lb.

1. Would you cook whole or separate the point and flat? Being less than 7 lb I didn't know if the small pieces (if separated) would be prone to dry out.
2. Dry brine with Morton's Kosher sale for 1 or 2 days?
3. Use BBBR?
4. No need to trim any more as fat cap appears to be no more than 1/4"?
5. I won't ask about using my Egg or Weber+SnS
6. Inject or not inject?
7. Otherwise, Barbecue Beef Brisket Texas Style will be my guide.

Thanks!

Photo A: Package


Photo B: Front view


Photo C: Left


Photo D: Rear


Photo E: Right side

[Jerod Broussard]

Looks like pretty much everything I cook. The flat is going to be pretty dry, course what lean piece of meat taken to 200+ doesn't want to be dry? I had a Prime flat that was injected and wrapped at the stall that ended up dry. Go figure.

Definitely dry brine and BBBR and bark the ever-living chrud out that thing. I had one a little more lean than that to cook for someone for Christmas. I dry brined three days and made sure and barked up big time.

[fuzzydaddy]

Thanks!

[billg71]

Congrats on the free brisket(I assume it's free since you said it was "gifted").

My thoughts on your questions:

1) Whole
2) Maybe a day
3) I'm a big fan of just black pepper on briskets if they've been dry brined or Dalmatian rub if not, Central Texas style. YMMV.
4) I wouldn't think so.
5) Whatever works for you, it's your brisket. Go with whichever cooker you're most comfortable with.
6) No injection or maybe with just a little beef broth. If you prep and cook it right it won't need it but do what you feel you have to do.
7) Good call.

Have fun and enjoy the cook!

[billg71]

And be sure to post pics!

[fuzzydaddy]

Thanks billg71 - much appreciated. I'll be cooking it on my BGE with my PartyQ (so I can sleep) at ~225 until probe tender / ~203, then faux cambro for 2 or 3 hours. I will be posting photos! And yes, by gifted I meant FREE!

[HorseDoctor]

FWIW: That piece looks very well trimmed but really lean to me. Very little intramuscular fat. I would proceed as planned but wrap in foil (Texas Crutch) with a little apple juice or broth or something after you've got good bark. Good luck.

[fuzzydaddy]

Yes, it is crazy lean. Thank-you for your advice.

[Mosca]

I agree with HorseDoctor, that was the first thing I thought: it is really lean. I would inject with low salt beef broth. I don't crutch briskets, but there's no harm in it.

[fuzzydaddy]

Thanks Mosca. I may give that a try. I started the dry brine early this morning and am going to let that go until Monday night. I'll start the cook late Monday - near midnight.

[Huskee]

Yum, free practice brisket!

[fuzzydaddy]

No matter how it turns out, I'll have learned something and it will still be great tasting!

[fuzzydaddy]

Brisket with rub photos. I'll be starting around 07:00 tomorrow. Trying / testing a technique I'll share after I'm done. It's based on work someone else has already done. Hey, it's a practice brisket after all.

Fat cap side:


Bottom side:

[Jerod Broussard]

You can see muscle striations through the rub. GREAT sign, even though very lean, shouldn't be a major problem getting tender.

[fuzzydaddy]

Thanks Jerod Broussard for that observation. My wife doesn't like much pepper, so I made BBBR with 2/3 of the pepper.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'll use 1 tablespoon white pepper for those folks.

My BBBR 2.0 was an overwhelming success.

[Huskee]

Looks like it should so far!

[fuzzydaddy]

Brisket is on at 07:00. Off to work...

[Jerod Broussard]

Didn't realize those eggs were so well insulated you could cook with the lid open.

[fuzzydaddy]

A quick bark check at 4.5 hours, and yes Jerod Broussard, I closed the lid.

[fuzzydaddy]

And here's the bark at 7 hours, ~166 IT. One photo had the bright sun on it and the other a bit shaded. No more posts with bark progress - I promise.

[DWCowles]

Looking good fuzzydaddy